Blog Post on the Topic of Masturbation
May 13, 2010 by admin
By Todd Phillips, Frontline Teaching Pastor
First, my apologies to those who attended Frontline this past weekend at any one of our campuses for the express purpose of learning what the Bible says in regard to the topic of masturbation. I know it must have been difficult to wait patiently for the question to come up in the message only to be left in the cold by your pastor! None-the-less, here we are. So, let’s dive right in.
Based on one survey, one third of Christian women and nearly all Christian men struggle with this issue. Another survey reports that 31 percent of laypeople and 30 percent of pastors considered masturbation to be wrong, 32 percent of lay people and 35 percent of pastors said it was not wrong, and the remainder said it depends on circumstances. How’s that for a unity! Regardless, for a subject that is an almost universal experience among men and for somewhere around a third of women, the topic is very seldom addressed in Christian community.
Fathers wonder what they should tell their sons. Women are confused about what to say to their daughters. Small group leaders don’t know what they should say to young adults who ask about the issue, so they tend to discourage it because that’s what everyone else does.
So, is there a biblical response to the subject of masturbation?
First, there simply is no specific approval or prohibition of masturbation in the Bible. Some of you will quickly refer me to Genesis 38 (which does not address masturbation, but the act of a man ‘pulling out’ of a woman before ejaculation) or Leviticus 15:16-17 (which deals only with the act of becoming ceremonially unclean rather than sinfulness). I’m not going to dissect these passages because these passages do not prohibit masturbation and are therefore not relevant to our discourse here.
In the New Testament, the passage most commonly offered as a prohibition of masturbation (based on the underlying principles of the passage) is Matthew 5:27-30:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.”
The argument then is that desire (or lust) for a woman (or man) then is as sinful as the actual act of sex outside of marriage. Therefore, if someone is masturbating, the pictures they have in their mind during the act causes the act to be sinful. It is very important to note here what Jesus means when he is speaking of “lust.” There is a differentiation between the attraction we feel for members of the opposite sex, which is a God-given attraction that draws men and women together in healthy ways toward the ultimate commitment of marriage, and a covetous desire for possession of the other person for personal gratification.
So, some argue at this point that as long as one fantasizes “appropriately” during masturbation then it is not sinful. For example, if a single person fantasizes that they are having sex with their future wife or if a married person fantasizes about their spouse during masturbation then the act is not sinful. This is, from your humble pastor’s perspective, the strongest argument for the assertion that it is possible to masturbate and not sin. NOTE – I said that this is the strongest argument I can find to offer the very small possibility that masturbation with an appropriate mental picture is acceptable in the sight of God. I AM NOT AGREEING WITH THIS ASSERTION. If this argument were to hold water, it still leaves such a small potential for engaging in this act without sinning as to be practically unattainable.
I have friends from seminary and other pastors who have a different view of this issue than I do. But, I will say that although masturbation can be considered a “gray area,” I advise young adults to steer clear of the act for several reasons:
- 1. “Think on such things…”
Paul exhorts all believers to guard their thought life. In Philippians 4:7-8 Paul speaks to the importance of a holy thought life:
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Phil. 4:7-8)
Our thought life is the true battlefield. Masturbation is an act where the mind can quickly turn to impure thoughts that do not honor God.
- 2. When in doubt, don’t
Dave Young on our Prince William staff said it well: I don’t do it BECAUSE I don’t fully understand what it is, what its ripple effects will be on me or a potential spouse, and how God feels about it. And spiritually speaking, God says, “but the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin” (Rom 14:23). I have not heard any reports to convince me of exactly what it is and isn’t so it’s an unknown.
- 3. Paul’s Advice
Paul, when discussing the fact that single people were “burning with passion” for one another, offers marriage as the solution, rather than some form of appropriate masturbation. (1 Corinthians 7:9)
- 4. “Flee from Sexual Immorality”
1 Corinthians 6:18 warns us to “flee form sexual immorality.” How involved do we want to get to something that is so close to (if not is) sexual immorality? This would seem very unwise from a biblical perspective.
- 5. “I’ll stop when I’m married”
The goal of sex within the bonds of marriage is oneness with your spouse. The goal of masturbation is self-gratification. Masturbation and sex with one’s spouse are diametrically opposed in their goals. Many people take with them into the marriage bed the goal of self-gratification that they’ve learned from their experience with masturbation. This often creates many challenges in the marriage bed.
Many singles tell me that they will stop masturbating when they get married because they’ll have an outlet for their sexual desires. For most, this is simply not the case. Many people find that they’ve developed two sex lives…one with their spouse and one with themselves. This takes away from the development of intimacy between spouses.
- 6. “Not Even a Hint…”
Ephesians 5:3 states: “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.” We are “set apart” for the work of God as Christ-followers. We then should not allow there to be a hint of sin or engage in anything that would be considered “unwise.”
A life lived for God’s name and His renown are the ultimate goals of our lives. Live lives that are worthy of God and worthy of His calling on your life! (Eph. 4:1; Col. 1:10; 1 Thess. 2:12)
See you Sunday!
